


Home Improvement

by Oshun



Category: Swordspoint Series - Ellen Kushner
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-30
Updated: 2011-06-30
Packaged: 2017-10-20 21:29:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/217273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oshun/pseuds/Oshun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The young Duke decides he needs to engage in a little home improvement in Riverside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Improvement

"Marie?" His voice, heard over the thump, thump of her iron on the board, reverberated against the vaulted ceiling of her room. The tone he used was far more courteous, hesitant even, than she had come to expect from him. Another knock echoed before she had reached the door.

"Come in," she said, opening the door to him with a sweeping gesture of her hand and slight bob from the knees, a parody of a proper curtsy to a lord of the Hill. "I'd offer you my best wishes and congratulations, if I knew what to call you. How am I to address the new Duke of Tremontaine?"

"However you like," he grumbled, a blush tinting the apex of each cheekbone.

For all of his arrogance, he truly had no idea of just how beautiful he was. Did he think Richard had fallen for his razor tongue and reckless cheekiness alone? Of course, at his age, he'd have no idea either of how transparent, beneath that veneer of cool self-possession, was his passion for his swordsman or how compelling that quality might be to the one who shared his obsession.

"What does he call you now?" Unable to resist the opportunity to tease him a little, she grinned, while rolling her eyes toward the ceiling, indicating the location of their rooms.

Affronted, he replied, "Alec, of course. Same as always." He then grudgingly relinquished a small, self-deprecatory smile. She never had tried to hide her affection, softness really, for her mad, bad boys.

She folded her arms across her chest. "Spill it. I know you came here with a purpose."

"I have something for you. Brought you a little trinket." He held out a small cloisonné box of lavish design, trimmed in gold.

"Thank you very much," she said, turning it around in her hand, marveling at the craftsmanship. "But what would I do with something of this sort? It would likely be nicked as soon as I turned my back."

"Maybe not so likely, after we have secured the house better." He cocked an eyebrow at her, looking to see if she caught his intent. "Sell it if you I like. I expect it will fetch a good price. But look inside first."

A pair of gold earrings, each dangling a perfect tear-drop pearl, nestled on a bed of dark blue velvet.

"Why, they are beautiful!"

"Those I think you should keep for yourself."

"Truly, thank you. I do believe I will. So, you want to refurbish your rooms?"

"As you know, I have come into considerable resources of late," he drawled. "The whole house, don't you think? What would be the purpose of repairing only our rooms if the rest of the building is falling apart around us?" He looked up at the crumbling plaster crown molding. "It must have been beautiful once. But I suppose the windows and the roof ought to be repaired first. I'm always cold here."

"I am impressed with your practicality. The chimneys don't draw properly either, you know. So, what does St Vier think of your idea?"

"Richard?" He glanced up at her, eyes guarded and suspicious, before giving her a too casual shrug of his shoulders. "He likes it here. He does not want to leave."

Marie could not resist a smirk. She could well imagine their argument and the lovemaking that had finally ended it. Sleeping like the dead in the arms of her sailor, she had not heard a sound, either the night before or this morning. She doubtless had slept through St Vier's deep groans, Alec's sharp cries, and the bed thumping against the back wall as it often did, hard enough at times to rattle her windows.

"Did you intend to oversee this project yourself?" she asked with mock seriousness.

Alec, showing by a narrowing of his eyes that he realized she was making fun of him, almost scowled before throwing back his head and laughing. "I knew you had a smart mouth, but I did not realize that you had a wicked sense of humor. I was actually thinking that you would be the ideal candidate to see that it is properly done."

"I have my work you know. Putting that aside would cost you more than a couple of pretty baubles." Marie gave him her best smile; she had always liked him.

"I assure you I can afford to pay you far more than you earn whoring and doing laundry."


End file.
